Saturday, August 07, 2010

bright in my northern sky

I wish that I was better at scanning things. Because, I think, this drawing contains some of the most complex cross hatching I've ever done.

I often get asked about my cross hatching. How I do it. How I found this style of cross hatching. Truth is I could never answer those questions. Not very well, anyway. It would be like me trying to explain eating, or something. How do you eat? Well I put food in my mouth and chew. That's it. I couldn't give much more of an explanation. Cross hatching? I put the pen on the paper and draw lines. Lots of lines.

I second what Dawn said! If I were in your neck of the woods I'd offer to come over and help you make a short video. Even a small point-and-shoot will do an adequate job if the light is good. Do you go fast or slow? Do you lift the pen off the paper at the end of each stroke? Is each stroke carefully placed or does it just come out in a rush? That's the kind of thing I'm curious about. There are lots of ways to put pen to paper but most of us don't turn out drawings like yours!

I so agree - in fact yours is one of the best explanations! When people ask how I can draw & paint like I do, the best I can come up with is 'I dunno, I just do'.It comes from within - just keep on doing it!

How do you eat? One bite after the other? Never varies? Hatching, one line after the other? Never varies? It's just natural, of course! For you, anyway! But How will you teach this method in Andrea Joseph's School of Fine Art to all of us to whom it does not come naturally??

Love it! And all your other work. Few artists (of all levels of talent) have the patience work in so much detail with cross-hatching as you do. In terms of scanning, maybe you could do a super-high resolution scan and then show us a small chunk to give a better idea of the detail? Just an idea for future reference :)

One of the reasons that I probably will never make a video is that I have never drawn sitting at a desk or table. I'm always huddled up in a ball on an armchair. Usually juggling a sketchbook, cat, loads of pens, cups of tea and biscuits.

Avital, those are all the questions I just couldn't begin to answer. OK, I'll have a go! I have never even thought about these things. Hmmmm. I guess I draw lines quite fast. I guess I do lift the pen off the paper after each stroke. I have no idea if it comes out in a rush. it just comes out!! I'm not trying to be evasive, honestly. I just have never even consdiered how I do it. It just happens.

This reminds me of me. Lots of people ask me "How you do the hair?", "Do you actually draw each hair in seperate?" etc. (Appearently hair is one of the things I draw best.) And truly it IS unexplainable.I also guess there are people who know how to teach\explain stuff like that. I DON'T.

I don't want to be some random miss. point-out-the-obvious but I feel the need to say it. I noticed that you are really good at protraying textures, especially in the fabric of shoes. I wish i had something useful to say but alas, your work is technically perfect.